700 roads closed, 170 per cent more than normal rainfall in 1 week

Incessant rain over the past few days have rendered over 700 roads closed in the state. As many as 1,413 power distribution transformers and 420 water supply schemes have also been disrupted. The number of blocked roads and disrupted power transformers and water supply schemes can be much higher as the State Disaster Management Authority has received no information from Chamba and Lahaul and Spiti due to “connectivity issues”.

Light to moderate rain was recorded at most places across the state since Monday evening and heavy to very heavy rain was recorded at isolated places. In upper Shimla, a landslide occurred at Kokunala in Kotkahi. The National Highway-5 is blocked in Kinnaur.

Infrastructure has suffered maximum damage in the latest spell of precipitation in Mandi and Kullu. The overall loss this monsoon has gone beyond Rs 2,400 crore with the PWD, Power Department and Jal Shakti Vibhag suffering the maximum damage.

To make matters worse, the state is unlikely to get relief from heavy rains anytime soon. The weather department has issued yellow and orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places across the state until September 1.

Until now, August has already seen 62 per cent more than normal rainfall. In the past one week, the state has received 170 per cent more than normal rainfall. Kullu, Shimla and Solan districts have seen the deviation of over 100 per cent rainfall.